Sunday, April 26, 2009

Listening to Arcade Fire for me, is one of those incredible Canadian musical moments of magic. I feel it in my chest and pulsing through me, with my eyes wide open.

The music is very anthemic and monumental, which is why it comes as no surprise that Spike Jonze has used their gorgeous song, Wake Up, to accompany the lead trailer for his upcoming movie, based on the children's classic storybook by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Really. Its creepy.But if you can't resist, click here to start a conversation with a real live stranger.

I am skeptical as to how this works...to start you have to initiate a conversation by saying Hi, but it seems wierd that a conversation doesn't ever get initiated by someone saying hi to you. This may not be a conversation with a real stranger, but either with a robot or someone just paid to sit and wait and have a chat... which I guess is a conversation with a stranger...hmm

BTW - these guys are strangers. But they looked nice and I would chat if they said Hi.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Cities were selected based on their environmental and community innitiatives, their ability to keep their city safe while setting it up for long term growth and success.

I am very excited for Seattle, this year's winner. I find it to be a small city in a big town.

Nestled in the rainforests of the West Coast Seattle is home to creative innovative industries (Starbucks, Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft). I have been very lucky to get to know this city very well over the past 7 years.

I am so proud to say that I have visited 4 on the list and hopefully 5 by year's end....as per the title of this column.

And I would be remissed not to give a big congratulations to my hometown Vancouver and my soulmate city Chicago.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

I am impressed with brands that have somehow managed to bump the original items name out of vernacular for their brand name.... for example: Saran Wrap (plastic wrap), Kleenex (tissue), Scotch Tape (clear tape), Post-It Notes (well...they did invent the category so we'll give them that one), linoleum,Band-Aid and Zipper.

Often enough they were the category definers - first in, so to speak. But I love how synomous their terms have become.... I mean really, who would ask for a medical gauze adhesive instead of a Band-Aid?

Some brand are close, such as Starbucks is for coffee, Heinz for ketchup. Both are ubiquitous and category owners - but they aren't the 'noun' that trandscends the total platform across all markets to own the product as a name.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

This is the impossible cool.Sex, desire, aspiration, confidence all wrapped up a laced-haze of amazement.Come on... all the cool kids are doing it. Jump in.

I am a NIKE girl. Their olympic ad brought me to tears last year.But what makes Adidas a contender for my love is that they zag'd when they usually zig.

Culture is the hero, not the athlete within.

Sure, Beckham has a cameo... but he's not playing footie.Katy Perry, Missy Elliot, Russell Simmons are at the party.Adidas created an anthem for a cultral celebration... a celebration of optimism, aspiration, hope and newness.

Monday, April 13, 2009

One might have thought I gave this site up for Lent... I gave up cookies.

But nothing gets me more inspired to write or in the Easter mood than these wicked awesome Cadbury Easter Egg ads.Edgy, fun, simple...and apply to all audiences.

Here are 3 12:sec ads strung together:

This is the idea that keeps on giving... essentially just borrowing from a 1001 ways to die book.

I also love love love that they are little 10sec spots - perfect for on-line, perfect for cinema, perfect for people to create their own, perfect for television.... by 1 30:second spot and negotiate to have 3 of the spots run between different ads.